System of refrigeration and water-supply.



v G. FLEMING.

SYSTEM OF REFRIGERATION AND WATER SUPPLY.

V APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1907. 92,55?G

Patented May 4, 1909.

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60/96" Ill/Z9 by G. FLEMING. SYSTEM OF REFRIGERATION AND WATER SUPPLY. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1907.

92%557 Patented May 4, 1909.

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ive/16?)! GEORGE FLEMING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SYSTEM OF REFRIGERATION AND WATER-SUPPLY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed September 21, 1907. Seriai No. 393,894.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen FLEMING, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Refri eration and ater-Supply; and I do hereby declare that the following is 'a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel system or apparatus for supplying and distributing water to the various rooms or apartments of a building from a pressure water supply and utilizing the water or aportion of it for refrigerating purposes, as, for instance, in refrigerators or other cooling devices located in various parts of the building.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter more particularly set forth and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a vertical section taken through the walls and floors of a building equipped with my water distributing and refrigerating system. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of a refrigerating box or cooling-device designed for use in connection with the system. Fig. is a horizontal section through the walls of said box. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the refrigerator or cooling device. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the side and end walls of said box developed upon a plane.

As shown in Fig. l of said drawings, A A designate two side walls of a building, either of which may be an outer wall, and B, B designate the floors of the building. C designates the basement of the building and I) an upper compartment which may be the attic, The two walls A, A are each provided with vertical passages or flues A A in which are located parts of the apparatus to be hereinafter described. The flues are provided at their lower ends with air inlet openings at and with valves a for controlling the passage of air therethrough, one of which valves only being herein shown. The upper ends of said flues are equipped with ventilators A of any approved type. E designates a water supply -main and F a sewer main located in the ground below the basement floor.

G deslgnates a water coohng device or ice-box located in the basement of the building, and H designates a water distributing tank located in theattic or above the high-- est level at which water is drawn from the system. From the water supply main E a pipe 6 leads upwardly through the flue A to the water distributing tank II. From said tank a pipe it leads downwardly through said flue A into one end of the icebox G. From the opposite end of said ice box a pipe g leads upwardly to the lowermost one of a series of refrigerators I, l located on the several floors of the building. Said refrigerators are connected in series with each other and with the ice-box, whereby cool water from the ice-box is supplied to said refrigerators in a manner hereinranged for the passage of water through each in turn. A pipe "5 receives Water discharged from the uppermost refrigerator of the series. Said pipe 2' extends horizontally across the building near the u per floor and connects with the u per end of a pipe 2' that leads downwarc ly through the flue A. and connects at its lower end with a horizontal pipe 71 in the basement that enters the water space in the ice-box G at a point near the lower end of the pipe h.- The Water spaces of the ice-box G and the refrigerators and their connecting pipes and the pipes 2' 2' and i constitute a closed circuit through which the water is circulated and the circulating water is maintained cooled by its passage through the ice-box. I p

In the operation of the system, water from the water supply main E enters the distributing tank H through the pipe 6 and descends through the pipe h to fill the circuit composed of said pipes 2', i 2' and i and the water spaces of the ice-box and refrigerators. The upper or discharge end of the pipe 0 is provided within the distributing tank H with a float controlled valve h which operates to maintain a predetermined level of water in said tank and to keep the system filled, the water being delivered to the a water motor J Pip 1 is discharged through a drain ever be driven by other means,

arrows by means of apump P located, as herein shown, in the plpe z and dnven by supplied with water from which communicates with thewater The spent water from the motor ipe 7' into may howas or exmam E.

the sewer main F. Said pump ample, by an electric motor.

K designates a branch-pipe which communicates at its upper end with the circuit, composed of the pipes and water passages before referred to, at or near the highest point of said circuit and communicates at its lower end with the pressure supply main E. As herein shown said pipe K is ocated within the flue A and communicates at its upper end with the horizontal pipe '5 Said branch pipe is provided with two valves 7: and 10 the former located at its upper end and the latter near its lower end The branch pipe K constitutes a serving pipe for serving water to the different floors of the building and, for this purpose, is'provided with draw-oil cocks K K located above anddischarging into drain basins or sinks K at the several floors. The said basins or sinks drain into a drain pipe L which discharges at its lower end into the sewer F. When water is bein circulated through the cooling circuit, including the icebox and refrigerator, the water serving i e is closed to the circuit by the closing ofthe upper valve and is opened to the pressure main E by the opening of the lower valve 10 The serving pipe K is therefore filled with water which may be withdrawn therefrom through the cocks K as required.

It is also intended that the system may operate to. circulate water through the retrigerators which has not been cooled by passing it through the ice-box G as, for exnnple, during the cooler seasons when the water may be cool enough for refrigerating purposes without having been artificially cooled. For this purpose, a branch pipe e provided with a valve 6 leads from the pipe 6 directly into the pipe g, and said pipe 9 is provided with a valve 9 Therefore by opening said valve 6 and closing the valve 9 water enters the pipe 9 without having passed through the ice-box or through the distributing or controlling tank H. When this occurs the serving pipe K constitutes part of the circuit for the cooling water. Such communication is brought about by opening the upper valve is thereof and closing the lower valve 70 Such adjustment cuts the pipes i and i out. of the circuit, and in order to revent the system from flooding through t e tank H a valve i islocated between said tank and the junction of the pipes 2' and K. As herein shown said valve 5* 1s located in the pipe '11. There is also provided a valved pipe 1" leading from partitions g? into a number of com to the next superad the pi er directly into the drain pipe L. By opening the valve in said pipei a larger qpantity 0 water is allowed to esca from t e system and be replaced by free water. from the water main E, than-would be the case if the water were allowed to escape only from the draw-off cocks. In this 'manner the cooling efi'ect in the refrigerators is increased. v I,

The ice-box G consists of an outer casin G adapted to receive ice and an inner close chamber or tank G" arranged for the passage therethrough of the water which is intended to be cooled by said device. Said inner chamber G is divided by vertical artments and the partitions are so arrange that'the water asses in a zig-zag course from end to end t ereof, thus increasing the cooling effect of the ice on the water. A drain pipe connecting with the sewer F o ens into the ice compartment at a point a ve the bottom thereof to drain water from the melting ice to the level of the upper end of saidpipe. A second valved dram pipe 9* serves to drain all of the water from the ice compartment when desired.

The construction ofthe refrigerators is shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive. frigerator comprises side Walls M, M, front and back walls M M and to and bottom walls M M. The front wal is provided with a door M by means (if which access may be had to the interior. Inclosed by the side and rear walls is a flat tank or jacket comprising three portions 0, O the two former being arranged against the side Each rewalls and the latter against the rear wall.

Said tanks or jackets are laterally narrow and communicate with each other at the corners of the refrigerator box. necting pipes 5 each enter one side section of the tank or jacket at the bottom and forward end thereof and leave the other side section at the top and forward end, thus in suring that the water shall pass entirely through thecooling jacket or tank. The

three sections of the water tank or jacket are I separated by vertical bafile plates 0, 0 one of which is arranged to leave a space between its upper margin and the top wall of the tank and the other to leave a similar space at its lower margin, whereby water entering at the bottom ofone side section passes therethrough, thence downwardly through the next adjacent or end section and fina ly upwardl through the second side section into one o the pipes 2', through which it passes 'acent refrigerator. Said water tanks or jac ets are spaced from the side and rear walls of the box by means of vertically arranged battens P, thuspermittin circulation of air between said jackets an the box walls. Other battens P are arranged 'upon the inner walls of the jackets The consaid flue.

to prevent articlesplaeed in the box from indenting said inner jacket walls. Below the walls of the jacket in the bottom wall of the refrigerator box I is arranged a small channel or trough m by means of which water condensing upon the walls of the refrigerator or the jacket may be collected and drained ofi'.

Through the rear wall M of the refrigerator box, the rear jacket section and through the adjacent Wall of the building A, a flue or passage R opens into the fine A whereby fresh air'may be supplied to the box from Said passage is provided witha controlling damper or shutter r. This air may be admitted to the refrigerator chainbers during cold weather and afford material aid to the water circulating in the jackets around the refrigerator spaces to cool the refrigerator spaces.

I claim as my invention 1. In a system of refrigeration and water supply, the combination with a source sup-- plying water under pressure and a circuit receiving water from said source of supply including a refrigerator and a cooling device through which the water passes, of a serving pipe provided with a plurality of draw-oil cocks, said serving pipe-being con- I supply, the combination with a source supwater under pressure and a circuit having a coolin which the water in the circuit passes 'to 0001f.

nected with said circuit and directly with said source of supply, and means whereby water maybe directed to the serving pipe either from the circuit or from the source of supply at will. V

2. In a system of refrigeration and water supply, the combination with a source supplying water under pressure and a circuit receiving water from said source of supply including a refrigerator and a cooling device through which. the water passes, of a serving pipe provided with a plurality of draw-off cocks, said servingpipe being connected with said circuit and directly with said source of supply, means whereby water may be directed to the serving pipe either from the circuit or from the source of supply at-will, and means for cutt' said coolng device out of the operating circuit when the serving .pipe receives water from said circuit.

3. In asystem of refrigeration and water P i rs receivmg water from said source of'suppl'y of a refrigerator located in said-circuit an space or jacket through the same, a water serving pipe connected with said circuit near the highest part thereof and provided. with a plurality of drawoif cocks and communicating at its lower end with said source of supply, and valves in said serving pipe so located and arranged as to supply water to the draw-ofi' cocks through said serving pipe from said circuit or from the source of supply at will.

4. In a system of refrigeration and water supply, the combination with a source supplymg water under pressure and a water conducting circuit including a refrigerator having a cooling space or jacket through which the water passes and a cooling device through which the water in the circuit is passed to cool the same, means for automatically maintaining a constant level of water in said circuit independently of the ressure of the source of supply, a serving p1pe provided with a plurality of draw-01f cocks, said serving pipe being connected with said circuit and directly with said source of supply, means whereby water may be directed to the serving pipe either from the circuit or from the source of supply at will, and means for cutting said cooling device out of the operating circuit when the serving pipe receives water from said circuit.

5. In a system-of refrigeration and water supply, the combination with a source supplylng water under pressure and a circuit receivmg Water from said source of. supply,

of a refrigerator located in said circuit and having a cooling space or acket through which the water in the circuit passes to cool the same, a Water serving pipe connected with said circuit near the highest part thereof and provided with a plurality of draw-ofl as my invention I afiix my si nature in the resence of two witnesses, thls 12th day of eptember A. D. 19.07.

. GEORGE FLEMING.

Witnesses: i

A. M. BUNN, I 

